


Things you said when it was over

by glaciya



Series: Hearts on Fire [2]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Because I'm the author and I say so, Everybody Lives, Flirting, M/M, Reunions, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-14
Updated: 2018-09-14
Packaged: 2019-07-12 05:49:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15988949
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glaciya/pseuds/glaciya
Summary: Tony moves toward Stephen and Stephen toward Tony. They meet in the middle, standing quite close. Tony feels the tiny soft caress of Stephen’s cloak brushing up against his hands and reaches his fingers out to pet the soft material. The cloak flutters happily against his fingers and Tony smiles. It’s the first time he’s done that in a very long while.“Why are you looking at me like that?” Tony blames his scientific mind for being unable to just let things go unquestioned.“Like what?” Stephen smirks and continues before Tony can answer. “Like you are one of the people responsible for saving the entire universe?”_______I got a request on tumblr for ironstange: things you said when it was over and that prompted me to write this little thing about what could happen after the snap is reversed! This is part of a series but can easily be read as a one shot.





	Things you said when it was over

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nanimok](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nanimok/gifts).



Tony nearly leaps from his suit in his rush to get to the kid, stumbling when the latches on his armor boots don’t open fast enough and falling to his knees on the ground beside Peter. The kid is looking up at Tony with wide confused eyes but Tony doesn’t enough words at hand to even begin to explain what he’s been through-what they’ve all been through since Thanos.

But Thanos is dead and everyone he killed brought back through the power of the infinity stones. Right about now, billions of people will be waking up around the world, safe and at home with no memory of being dead, their loved ones with no knowledge at they had grieved. It will just be another Tuesday for them.

The Avengers and their allies will remember though. Everyone involved in defeating Thanos had agreed it would be for the best, they needed this memory, this loss, as a learning experience to help them continue their work protecting those who couldn’t protect themselves.

For now though, Tony only focuses on the feeling of Peter alive and well in his arms again.

“Oh. That was scary. Are we actually hugging now? We’re hugging. Oh.” Peter’s rambling and trembling but he’s hugging Tony back and he’s alive, alive, alive. “Mr. Stark, we’ll have to figure out something to tell Aunt May, she’ll be so mad at me.”

Tony laughs wetly. “I don’t think that will be a problem, kid.”

May had been one of Thanos’ victims. Peter didn’t need to know that right at this moment.

“I knew you could do it,” The deep baritone of Stephen Strange’s voice floats loud and clear around them. He’s addressing everyone who had worked so hard to defeat Thanos, but his eyes lock onto Tony’s and hold there.

T’Challa starts a cheer, one arm around Okoye and the other around Shuri. Thor mimics it with a heartfelt roar and his brother beside him rolls his eyes. Soon others are joining in. Rhodey shoots rockets in the sky and Clint fires explosive arrows. Starlord and Gamora dance together. Even Steve and Bucky finally pull back from their reunion kiss to holler. Tony had started to worry their lips were super glued or something.

Only a few of them don’t join in. Carol, who still keeps her distance, watching everyone with a quiet smile. Tony, who cannot find the energy. And Stephen who continues watching Tony with the very same look on his face he had back on Titan after he’d settled on the one outcome that would save them all.

Peter clears his throat suddenly.

“I’m gonna go stretch my legs, I think,” he says pulling away from the hug. “Being dead for what, like a century will stiffen up the joints.”

“It hasn’t been quite that long,” Tony chuckles. It certainly feels like it though.

He stands and pulls Peter up with him. Peter heads off toward the rest of the team, running his hands over his arms, face, and torso like he still can’t believe he’s whole again.

Tony moves toward Stephen and Stephen toward Tony. They meet in the middle, standing quite close. Tony feels the tiny soft caress of Stephen’s cloak brushing up against his hands and reaches his fingers out to pet the soft material. The cloak flutters happily against his fingers and Tony smiles. It’s the first time he’s done that in a very long while.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Tony blames his scientific mind for being unable to just let things go unquestioned.

“Like what?” Stephen smirks and continues before Tony can answer. “Like you are one of the people responsible for saving the entire universe?”

Tony flushes and looks away. His eyes settle on Steve, who Tony realizes with a pang in his chest is looking right back at him. Steve smiles a little uncertainly and Tony’s lips twitch and yeah, they’re going to be okay. He turns back to Stephen.

“You aren’t looking at any of the others like that.”

“No,” Stephen agrees. “I didn’t spend countless realities falling for the others like I did with you.”

Tony whistles and plays it cool even though his heart his thumping rapidly against his chest. “Wow Doc, if you wanted to get into my pants all you had to do was say so.”

“Okay. I want to get in your pants,” Stephen says and Tony nearly dies on the spot. “I want to give you plenty of time to recover. I want to get to know you in this reality and let you get to know me back. I want to take you on at least three dates first. Then, I want to get in your pants. Sound like a plan?”

And Tony forgets that he was once known as a playboy and nods along like a teenager agreeing to his first date.


End file.
